


Dragon Season: Not Strange, Quirky

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: I Take Pride in What I Am 2020 [5]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Acceptance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mating Bond, Scent Marking, Soulmates, dragon instincts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24594628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Freed had done his research and been prepared for the quirks of being a Dragon-slayer's mate, apparently Laxus wasn't quite as prepared for his new instincts.
Relationships: Background Gratsu, Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine
Series: I Take Pride in What I Am 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1771147
Comments: 3
Kudos: 113
Collections: I Take Pride in What I Am 2020





	Dragon Season: Not Strange, Quirky

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [Dragon Season: Scent](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16511741)
> 
> Please note that if you want to talk to me about my fics and writing, or anime/shows/games in general then you can now find me on discord [The Unholy Trinity](https://discord.gg/6sSddAWa5c).

As soon as they’d realised that Laxus had belatedly gone through his season and found his mate, his draconic side forced into activity after the events of the Grand Magic Games, Freed had made sure to sit down with Levy and Gray and had practically interrogated them about to expect. It wasn’t that he had thought that much was going to change, Laxus would always be Laxus, and the lightning mage had always had his own quirks and habits that Freed had long since got used to, but he liked to be prepared. Besides, they’d all seen the side-effects of being a Dragon-slayer with a mate after Natsu had nearly lost Gray, and more than anything he wanted to prevent Laxus from going through anything like that.

It had been an illuminating conversation, to say the least, and more than once he’d wondered if they were pulling his leg. Gray he might have been able to believe was joking, but Levy had worked with him too often for him to doubt her word, and so he had noted it all down, even as he struggled to imagine Laxus doing half of these things.

So, a few weeks later when he had looked up from the book he was reading, watching as Laxus meandered into the room, picked up a photo of the two and lifted it towards his face before freezing, he wasn’t as weirded out as he might have been. Gray had been chuckling when he had relayed how he’d walked in on Natsu scent-marking his belongings one day, leaving Levy to explain the significance, and so he didn’t move, pretending to read even as he kept half an eye on his Dragon-slayer. Laxus was staring at the photo, jaw clenching and fingers tightening, to the point where Freed expected to hear glass splintering and then with a muffled curse, Laxus put the frame back and stalked out of the room, shoulders tense as though he could feel Freed’ gaze following him.

 _What was that about?_ Freed wondered, setting down his book and staring after his mate. Admittedly, it had been hard to reconcile the Laxus he knew, with the mental image that Gray’s tales had painted, but he had been half-expecting it, and if he was honest, his heart was racing a little bit. There were still days when he found himself worried that he had been caught up in a dream and that these weeks of being mates was just a figment of his imagination, so to think that Laxus whether consciously or unconsciously was wanting to take that claim forward meant the world to him. _So, why did he stop?_

Freed gnawed at his bottom lip, before eventually remembering how the Ice Mage’s presence had nearly made Natsu abandon his efforts, maybe Laxus had just wanted to do it privately? It wouldn’t be the first aspect of being a Dragon-slayer with a mate that had made his partner uncomfortable. Freed sighed and slowly picked up his book again, eyes lingering on the doorway for a moment longer before he turned his attention back to it, trying to ignore the prickle of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach.

*

Two days later, he walked into their bedroom to find Laxus surrounded by every item of clothing he owned, and he froze in the doorway. Apparently unnoticed, as Laxus gave no sign that he knew that Freed was there, although the Rune Mage wasn’t fooled for a second, because he rarely managed to sneak up on his partner unless magic was involved. Laxus’ head was bowed, and the tension from the other day was still written into the set of his shoulders. He looked one step away from burying his head in his hands, and as Freed watched he reached out and picked up one of Freed’s favourite shirts – a Christmas gift from Laxus – lifted it halfway to his face, before tossing it aside with a frustrated growl. Freed hesitated for a moment. Clearly, this was more than just wanting privacy, and as Laxus’ fingers twitched towards the shirt again and then faltered, he decided that enough was enough and stepped into the room.

“Laxus?”

“Go away,” Laxus growled, but there was none of the heat that had been there a moment before, and Freed could feel the newly formed bond in the back of his mind stretching towards him. A silent plea for him to ignore the words, not that Freed had had any intention of going anywhere. He sent as much through the bond, coming to a halt in front of Laxus and standing there, waiting patiently, arms folded as Laxus seemed to look everywhere but at him, before slowly, he lifted his head to meet Freed’s gaze. “…sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Freed murmured, before moving to sit next to Laxus on the bed, nudging some clothes out of the way and watching how Laxus tensed, eyes darting to the clothing and then away again. “So,” Freed reached for the shirt that Laxus had discarded, laying it in his lap, before meeting Laxus’ gaze once more. “Are you going to tell me what this about?”

“No.”

Freed merely lifted an eyebrow. This was a dance he was well versed in, Laxus had always been stubborn, long before all of this had happened, and Freed had long since mastered the art of waiting him out. He stayed quiet, playing with the material of the shirt, and keeping his thoughts carefully empty as he felt a stirring in the back of his mind, knowing that Laxus was trying to push him into acting first. Instead, he focused on the sensation, it was still strange and new, but there was something about knowing that Laxus was always so close that comforted him, and he wasn’t aware that he’d closed his eyes even as he leaned mentally into the bond.

A couple of minutes passed, before he felt the bed dip and Laxus move, opening eyes that he hadn’t realised he’d closed, to find the Dragon-slayer moving to kneel in front of him. He smiled seeing the uncertainty in Laxus’ eyes as his gaze moved back to the shirt that Freed was holding, and slowly he pushed it forward, an offering and an invitation all in one, his smile growing when Laxus’ fingers twitched forward. “Talk to me,” he murmured, inching it forward a little more, injecting a hint of plea into his words. Laxus opened his mouth and then closed it, frustration clouding his features and the bond before he looked away, and Freed bit back a sigh, before reaching out, brushing his fingers across the Dragon-slayer’s cheek and pulling his attention back to him. “I don’t mind, you know?” Freed tilted his head, to the shirt lying between them, realising that Laxus had reached out at some point, fingers lightly resting in the material of the sleeve. Laxus froze, looking guilty before blinking as he seemed to register what Freed had just said.

“You don’t…?”

“I don’t,” Freed confirmed, letting Laxus take the shirt from him, leaving his other hand resting on the Dragon-slayer’s cheek, holding his gaze. “Why would I?”

“Because…” Laxus seemed to belatedly realise he was holding the shirt now, glancing down at it before back up at Freed. “Isn’t it strange?” Freed was paying attention to the bond and felt the flicker of fear that didn’t show on his mate’s expression, an uncertainty that didn’t match Laxus’ words. _Isn’t it strange?_ There was a flicker in the bond, and he caught a fleeting glimpse of how they had been before Laxus’ draconic instincts had come in to play, and he frowned. It wasn’t quite longing or loss… Laxus was…worried? It took Freed a moment to understand, to realise that with everything that had happened, they hadn’t had time to talk through all the changes that had happened, and while Freed had been preparing for the quirks, Laxus hadn’t.

“No,” he replied and smiled as Laxus scowled at him. “Is it any weirder than being part of Fairy Tail? Than sharing meals with animated dolls that repeat our last words?” That startled a chuckle out of the Dragon-slayer, although the worry lingered, and Freed sighed before reaching out, cusping Laxus’ face between both hands. “We’ve always been a little strange.” He was reasonably sure that Bickslow and Evergreen had other, coarser words to describe how the two of them had danced around one another, too close to merely be friends, but struggling to take that final step. “This is something new,” he admitted. “Something different, something quirky, but not strange.”

Because it was part of who Laxus was.

Part of the dragon stirring deep within the bond.

Part of them.

He could feel Laxus in the bond, still wary, still searching and he kept his mind open, letting the Dragon-slayer seen the truth of his words. Could feel the worry and fear abating, although it would take longer for it to settle completely, and he leaned forward and kissed the Dragon-slayer tenderly. “I wouldn’t change a thing, about you or about us, so stop fighting this,” he whispered into the kiss, and Laxus took a shuddering breath before leaning into the kiss, deepening it. This close there was no way for Freed to miss the way Laxus was quivering, and with a smile he ended the kiss, and let his hands fall away, allowing the Dragon-slayer slowly lift the shirt. Eyes locked on Freed, as he finally gave in to the instinct that had been needling at him for days, burying his nose into the material, before slowly rubbing it against his chin and cheeks, a soft noise of contentment bubbling up in his chest as he worked, a sweet, wondering expression on his face as Freed smiled and held out the next item for him to take.


End file.
